Makeup Review: Different Brands of Foundation

Liquid Foundation Craze
I have been having issues with my skin lately so I’m always keeping an eye out for a foundation that will work with my skin.  Here are some of the brands that I have tried recently:

• Shiseido Dual Balancing – I actually liked this one; it has a high spf and it is a bit sweat proof

• Nars Sheer Matte  – it’s matte after application; it applies smoothly even though I only used my fingers to apply; after a few hours I found myself needing to blot the t-zone; unfortunately the bottle does not come with a pump; I like it but it is a bit pricey

• Estee Lauder Double Wear – it stayed on longer than most foundations I have tried; has a good color matching scheme; bottle doesn’t come with a pump either; somehow I'm having a difficult time applying it with my fingers; when setting this foundation I found out that it is better when I use a velour puff instead of a brush; regret getting this 1 :( and to think I waited for 2 weeks before buying it just to be sure I really wanted it, darn!!!

• Model & Co – this foundation is actually nice but I have a feeling it's on the expensive side :( it's easy to apply, even when you use your fingers

• VMV Metamorphoskin – a liquid to powder formula; it is very matte, no shine whatsoever; paired it with the Smashbox Photofinish Light Primer; didn’t have to blot until after 4 hours; loving it! Really want to buy this but I still have 3 full bottles of foundations  …what do I do?

• Revlon Color Stay – I don’t understand what the hype is all about; color is too pinkish for my skin tone; from where I bought mine, they didn’t have a wide range of shades; is it obvious that I don’t like it?

Have you tried any that you truly liked?  See you next time!

Makeup Review: YSL Rouge Volupte #17 True Red

For some of you I know its so frustrating to look for the best shade of red out there. Like me for instance, i bought 3 shades in a span of 1 month. duh!! So when the TRUE RED appeared i stopped looking. As soon as i opened the very elegant casing, the shock and awe moment arrived. It was truly a striking red. And if that isn't convincing enough, let me tell you about my funny encounter with a parking attendant.... As i was entering the parking lot of the building where i work, she immediately spots me or is it my luscious lips and says, "Maam ang ganda ng lipstick ninyo! Parang si Ruby! (it's a teleserye on channel 2). Mmmmm... Ruby?!? ....napaisip ako and in my mind...hmmm is that good or bad? so when in doubt just laugh diba? But then i realized hey my lipstick may have done its job of projecting luscious "angelina" lips. Thanks to the rich pigmented color of TRUE RED volupte plus its plumping effect and satin finish, Ms. Jolie has some serious competition.   

Makeup Review: Mascara highs and lows

I have never been into mascaras. Probably because it would always find its way under my eyes which makes me look like kung fu panda, not exactly the look I'm going for. But since last year that I've been seriously interested in makeup I was told that the look is incomplete without mascara. Tried it and true enough it looked half done. So I began my search for a mascara that will not smudge.

I bought:

Maybelline's Unstoppable Lash Waterproof

• I liked the brush because it separated my lashes and since it was a small I was able to reach the inner corners without it smearing onto my skin
  
• Consistency was a little bit too watery
  
• The mascara didn't dry out as fast as I thought it would. I probably used it for a good 6 months.I might repurchase
  

I was looking for Cover Girl Lash Blast but couldn't find at my local drugstore so I ended up buying L'oreal Collagene Mascara

• When I opened it I was surprised at the consistency. It was very thick. The brush even had clumps, to think it was new.
  
• My eyelashes looked thicker and fuller. A friend actually noticed it 1 time. So definitely volumizing. That volume came with a price. I felt my outer lashes sticking to one another.
  
• I had a feeling that it might be a bit difficult to work with because it looks clumpy. Yup, I was right. I had to use a spare mascara wand just to work out the clumps
  
• Unfortunately I didn't have the patience to use it often. I stopped using it even before the 3^rd month.  I won't repurchase.
  

I then had a chance to try out Benefit's Bad Gal Lash

• I'm glad that the consistency is not as wet as the others I've tried
  
• Although it was a sample size, I was able to use it for more than 3 months which is always a plus in my book
  
• The brush worked well in separating my lashes and it looked like as if I had thick lashes.  Will definitely buy the full size!
  

Also tried Chanel's Inimitable Mascara

• Instantly saw the effect of the mascara...very nice!
  
• It's too pricey for a product that will dry out in 3 months, 4 if you're lucky so no thanks
  

Shiseido Perfect Mascara

• very lengthening; you can actually see some of the fibers do its magic; I wonder how much it costs...hmmm

Lastly, the Cover Girl Lash Blast

• Brush is big but easy to work with once you get the hang of it. The bristles are short so it makes it easy to use for the corner lashes
  
• Whenever you pull the wand out you don't get a big goop of mascara at the end of the brush, which is a good thing
  
• Consistency is just right.  Overall, a good mascara
  

What have you tried and liked or didn't like?  Thanks for stopping by.

NEW! NEW! NEW!

Hi everyone!

Gorgeousmestore is coming out with new stocks very soon. You'll have MORE brands and products to choose from.

Do keep an eye out for our new arrivals this coming August 2010. For those who haven't seen our store, just click here to visit us or click the link on the upper right side of this page.


Thanks for stopping by. 

Makeup Review by Hikaru – Korres Lip Butter

One of the best tinted lip balms in town! I love the buttery feel of the balm when you put it on your lips - mind you, buttery but not sticky. YUM! I tried the Pomegranate shade and I think it's just the perfect coral for summer. Not only can you use the korres lip butter for your lips but for someone who has combination skin like me (cheeks are on the dry side really), using it as a blush really works too :) Love it! What more can I say? Oh, yeah - it lasts a long time too - lasted almost half a day for me :)  Was going to give the quince to my cousin as a gift but on second thought....nah, I think I'm keeping it all to myself :)

Makeup Review : Sunblock as a beauty salvo

How many times have you heard how sunblock is good for you and that it is the best defense against premature aging? a lot right?? Add me to the that list of sunblock advocates because it really does wonders to the skin even if muka ka ng ESPASOL sa pagkaputi.

The rays of Mr. Sunshine have never been deadlier these days and so try making it a habit of adding it to your daily regimen. I can hear it now...ha sunblock? ang lagkit nyan! or muka akong multo! but fret no more because just recently I've discovered a particular sunblock that will change your negative perception about them. My best friend just came from the land of bulgogi and kimchi and she gave me a tube of Face IT HD perfect BB cream with spf 30 by the Face shop which according to the salesgirl is the best sunblock (syempre salesgirl sya diba?). At that moment, my foundation was M.I.A so I decided to use the cream as my foundation. WOW! What a revelation! Tama nga ang salesgirl! I wasn't ghostly white kasi it had a slight tint to it. I used my Mac #187 to spread it evenly all over my face then followed by my favorite powder. The effect was fantabulous I tell you! It felt like there was nothing on my skin and I did not look as if I just got fried on. Perfection.

So next time somebody gives you a sunblock, give them a chance. You'll never know what beauty secret it has in store for you. They were not made for outdoor activities alone but a savior from future beauty catastrophes.

Makeup Review: Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Hydrating Makeup (020)

This foundation has been around for several years now back when it was still called PURE LIGHT. I was able to try it and instantly fell in love with it. I got compliments and yet opted to try other brands like Clinique, Lorac, Giorgio Armani to name a few, but none of them really became my BFF (best foundation forever). So after a decade, i had to find my "diorling" again. That's when I found out it has been reformulated to a much better foundation. Since oil-spills are a part of my life, it really helped plug the leak. It can withstand immense perspiration and gives excellent coverage. It also matched my skin color to the point that it considered the acidity of my skin

Makeup Review by Kimmy: NYX Lipstick

Rich in Moisture, Rich in Color


Just when you thought you have seen the last of the must-have beauty products, someone is raving about something… again! My sister insisted I try this new brand called Nyx and I decided to give it a try coz days before I saw some red carpet photos with NYX in the background. So, since we should always be in the know of the latest in beauty… I agreed to try it. I decided to be adventurous and grabbed a hot pink one called "Doll".

So, after my usual routine of foundation, powder and nude blush ( yes, girlfriends… since we are about to try a wild color…. Let's give it the focus it deserves and let's give those smoky eyes, dark pink blush a rest.. for now), I tried it on. And trulily, it's a winner. Ok, fine… my exact words were "Lola, winner sya!" For one, application was easy. Without much effort, the lipstick just glided across my lips. I suddenly remembered my first lipstick from Wet N' Wild that I bought a million years ago that begged the question… "OMG, may lubricant ba ito?" :-D. The color was also perfect. My lips just popped up with rich color and since it was so rich in moisture and pigment, the color stayed with me for quite a bit…..even after two hours of endless chatting, a cup of tea, a tuna sandwich and some slices of cheese, my lips were still pink! But this time, it was a more natural look… I just sent my darling sister a text…… I need to get another one and the NYX (get it! Nyx..next… pfft! ) color I want to get it is something nude ;-)

Say Hello to our Guest Bloggers

From time to time we will be asking some of our friends to join the craziness also known as gorgeousmeblog. Of course they are also avid consumers of anything related to beauty, may it be makeup, skin care or hair care.

Thanks for stopping by.

Makeup Review: Nude Lipsticks

My fascination with Nude Lippies


When you say "nude" what comes to mind is a skin tone color. But when you talk about "nude lippies", that is another story. Some still considers nude as skin tone while others categorizes it in a whole different color range. What I prefer are nude shades with a hint of pink in them. Such is the case with 1 particular lipstick shade from Laura Mercier and the shade is called Nude Lips. I'm always in search of other 'nudes' so every time I'm at Rustan's I check out the LM counter to see if they have any new nude lipsticks. Of course I always end up picking up the Nude Lips, go figure. I guess that shows how much I love that shade.


I've tried lipsticks from other brands like Prestige (Mocha), Smashbox (Socialite) and Benefit (Lady's Choice) and Nyx (Frosted Beige). Though they have their own take on the nude, I liked them all. I apply a Raspberry Gloss (Napoleon Perdis) over the Prestige Mocha and the effect is similar to LM Nude Lips. .. me likey very much. Benefit's Lady's Choice is very similar to Smashbox's Sublime, just a tad lighter, hence more nude. I found out that Benefit's Lady's Choice washes me out especially in pictures, so I normally apply a pinkish lipstick over it or a lip gloss.

I've seen some shades from Bobbi Brown that are very nice but I'm sure the price is very nice too.


What are your favorite lippies?  Thanks for stopping by.

Makeup Review: Laura Mercier Products

In search of a good foundation

Last year I was looking for a good liquid foundation for combination/oily skin and I was doing my usual rounds at Rustan's Makati and Alabang. After reading about Laura Mercier I decided to take the plunge and invest. Read on and you'll understand why I consider it as a small investment.

I decided to buy the Liquid Foundation (my shade is warm beige), the oil-free foundation Primer, the Secret Brightening Powder , Duo Concealer with loose powder (shade number 2), Moroccan Bronze Illuminating Powder and lastly, the Pressed Powder. Knowing I have these tools at my disposal made me feel well equipped to cover my imperfections. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Before I rant and rave, let me just say that all the things that are written here by me are my opinion. First item, the Oil- free Primer: it's anything BUT oil-free! Shiny! Shiny! Shiny! The Liquid Foundation wasn't that great either. After application, the overall effect was dewy. I had to set it with the loose powder before it looked matte - matte enough to my liking.

The Secret Brightening Powder made my under eye area look ashy. Maybe I should try a different concealer, I don't know. But I won't give up on these babies yet. They're not all so-so, I do love the loose powder, although I only have the small size. Maybe I'll purchase the regular size of the loose powder…hmmm. Loved the Illuminating powder ( I apply it under a blush; it contours and gives a hint of a glow). I can't really say much about the pressed powder, only because I haven't been using it that often. The reason for this is that I am trying to finish my MAC Studio Fix Powder; I hit pan on it already, so might as well get it over and done with.


Another LM foundation is the Silk Crème Foundation which I purchased a couple of weeks back. My take on it is....I love it!!! It applies very smoothly, hence the name silk crème. It matches my skin shade perfectly; I use Bamboo Beige, and my face looked flawless. Not perfect by any means but a major improvement definitely. Don't get me wrong, just because I loved this foundation doesn't mean that I'll stop trying other brands, which I have ;). All I need now is to find that elusive oil free primer. I do have the Smashbox foundation primer but I'll save that for another day.


What have you tried and liked?  Thanks for stopping by.

Some background…

Hi everyone, let us introduce ourselves. First, some background… We are two friends who enjoy trying out new make up as a hobby. As the years went by, it became certain that we wanted to do something connected with beauty . This all came about when we were searching for make up reviews about a certain product that is best for our skin types and compatible with our climate (hot and humid). Thanks to our beauty bibles (In Style and lucky magazines), we constantly saw those products that we wanted but were not available here. We were sure we were not the only ones having this problem, so we decided to bring in some of those brands to sell - not just for us but, for the rest of you beauty junkies.

And so here it is, our beauty and fashion blog that will share our new discoveries in the beauty/fashion world, tried-tested & well-loved products, new arrivals and promos - as well as those you should avoid with a ten foot pole.